A study of the role of oil additives in the failure of ball bearings

Abstract

This thesis examines the influence that extreme pressure oil additives have in the failure of ball bearings. Additives are commonly used in lubricating oils to improve their properties. In recent years some sections of research and industry have suggested that additives are responsible for causing premature failures in rolling bearings. The resultant costs involved in replacing bearings, even in simple applications, through losses in production and maintenance can be high. This study investigates rolling contact fatigue in ball bearings in the presence of sulphur/phosphorus additives. Additive reactivity on metal surfaces is also examined using a static hot-wire method.